Jakarta: A powerful earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale has hit the east coast of Indonesia this morning, causing chaos, damaging buildings and forcing evacuations in parts of East Nusa Tenggara.
The quake struck at 5:58 a.m. local time Saturday, August 15, the USGS and BMKG said. The quake's epicentre was in the Java Sea, about 68 km (42 miles) northwest of Ende.
Official figures said the tremor, with a shallow focus of 10 kilometres, struck Indonesia's capital Jakarta and its surrounding areas.
Java authorities initially issued a tsunami warning, which was later cancelled.
Buildings damaged in the earthquake in Flores
Several buildings in the island of Flores were damaged following the earthquake. Social media began showing images and videos of people leaving the building, and rescuers looking at the damaged buildings.
The Jayakarta Hotel Labuan Bajo appeared destroyed. People were taken out of the building.
Rescue workers inspect the L. Say port building, Sikka. Local reports said many buildings and structures in the area were damaged during the earthquake.
Meanwhile in the port city of Maumere, a building partially collapsed during the quake. Witnesses spoke of scenes of panic as residents ran from their houses.
Many buildings were found to have been damaged. A Sikka resident quoted by the Associated Press said the port terminal’s Maumere waiting room has collapsed.
**Casualties in the Strong Earthquake in Indonesia**
Two people were killed and two others injured by the earthquake, the Maumere Search and Rescue Agency said. Authorities are also now undertaking rescue operations to assess the exact damage.
Note that the earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 was followed by several aftershocks, which fuelled panic among the locals. Officials have warned of further tremors and are advising people in the affected area to stay alert.
As rescuers inspected the damage to residential buildings, which were badly affected by the earthquake, evacuations continued in the wake of the disaster.
Indonesia is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries because it sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Here we have frequent intra-plate earthquakes. They are natural disasters that are hard to predict.
Such earthquakes are made more dangerous by the fact that Indonesia is made up of many tectonic plates.
It is expected that the earthquake damage will be felt in all the regions of the archipelago and the population is at risk. Indonesian inhabitants, particularly those in the eastern part of the country are vulnerable to such earthquakes due to their origin depth. The Indonesian authorities are expected to inspect the affected buildings and will resume operations after the damage assessment is completed.
